Frozen Flames
by Firefrost143
Summary: Originally a bunch of crossover things that came into my head, but actually fit together as a story. Will mainly focus on Jack Frost and Volga, with other characters thrown in here and there


_**Summary: A Legend of Zelda and Rise of the Guardians crossover. Jack Frost accidentally breaks one of North's snow globes and is sucked into Hyrule in the middle of the war between Cia and the Hylian army. Cia's troops capture him with the help of Volga, and he is forced into servitude. Over time, he and Volga become close allies, up until the last battle. Basically the back story of Volga and Jack meeting.**_

/

Jack Frost was bored out of his mind. It was spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, about 3 years after the events with Pitch, and now he was a Guardian, he was trying to be a little more responsible. And, naturally, he was doing a really bad job of it. One room of North's workshop was frozen solid, with Jack inside. It was just an empty storage room, so it didn't particularly matter whether it was frozen or not, but all the same, North was slightly annoyed. He had suggested many different options for the winter spirit to try out, but none of them had eased Jack's boredom.

"Jack, try not to freeze elves. They are always under boot, but they do help sometimes."

The Guardian of Fun groaned, sprawled on the floor, staff held loosely in one hand, "North, is there anything else I could do? You know, like, make some ice for your sculptures of toys or something?"

The scarlet-clad man looked at the white-haired sprite, pondering, "Perhaps there might be something you could be interested in. Snow globes."

" You mean the teleportation ones?"

"And all the places they lead to," North chuckled, watching as a sparkle lit up Jack's eyes again.

"You bet!"

"Hyrule, huh?" the snow sprite stared at globe number 143, which was labelled with the name he had just spoken, "You have any idea what it's like there, North?"

"Hmm?" North looked up from his huge book of catalogued storage, "Oh yes, I have been there few times before. It is war-torn land, every war revolves around the same object of power, the Triforce."

"I'm guessing that's similar to our Centres, right?"

"Exactly right, Jack. As name suggests, there are three pieces of Triforce: Power, Wisdom and Courage. One person is chosen by three goddesses to hold each piece, but Triforce of Power is most dangerous. If Triforce falls into evil hands, Hyrule is doomed."

"Sheesh, and I thought Pitch was bad," Jack chuckled, watching as the image of the castle inside changed from calm to being overrun by monsters, eyes widening in shock, "Hey, North, the castle -"

North had already left with several yetis, taking stock of the snow globes within the 200s. Jack hadn't realised the gargantuan man could move so fast. Slowly, he turned back to the globe, watching as what looked like a floating purple cape with a glowing eye shining from beneath it and a man in scarlet armour laid waste to the soldiers within the castle walls, and a tiny blue streak fled the grounds. Carefully, he leaned his staff on his shoulder and prised the glass orb from its position on the shelf. Holding it up to eye level, the monsters overwhelmed the soldiers of the castle, and their leaders started to leave, victorious. Confused as to what was going on, Jack didn't notice the elf wandering towards him until it bumped into his leg, making him jump almost a foot in the air. The glass orb slipped through his fingers, tumbling to the floor, and Jack accidentally kicked the elf halfway back down the corridor due to reflexes. Startled, he gripped his staff tight as a powerful wind began pulling him backwards. The snow globe had broken, opening a rift between the land of Hyrule and North's workshop, and he was powerless to stop himself being sucked into it, alone, with nothing but his staff.

When Jack picked himself up from the grass and mud beneath him, he looked up, immediately recognising the castle standing high above him. It had been reduced to almost ruins by the monsters, but he could clearly tell it was Hyrule Castle. The winter sprite let the wind carry him up so he was overlooking the chaotic courtyard, watching as the man in scarlet and the purple cloaked figure surveyed the destruction around them. Neither of them noticed Jack. _Bet they can't see me, just like most people_ , the winter spirit thought bitterly. He casually perched on one of the battlements, gazing down at the death below him. Sorrow rushed through Jack as he remembered flying over No Man's Land during the two World Wars and seeing death everywhere, in the fields, in the trenches, in the mud, in the snow he had brought, the pure white stained with red from gunshot wounds. The picture still made Jack physically sick when he thought about it, and the huge amount of casualties on both sides of the wars. He forced the memory to the back of his mind and, leaning his head in the crook of his staff, glanced at the two leaders. The man in red was staring directly at him, hidden eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling from his throat. A spear clenched in his fist, he suddenly lunged at Jack, startling the sprite and sending him tumbling from the battlements. Swiftly realising he was in serious danger, Jack summoned the wind and took off over the war-torn field, dodging a fireball as it shot past him. He spotted a mountain across the field and, believing himself able to lose his pursuer within the tunnels, directed the wind towards it.

/

Volga pinpointed the location of the flying boy, noting he was headed for the Eldin Caves, the very place he himself had lived before Cia came along and forced him to serve her. _Foolish boy, does he not know that dragons live in caves, and the caverns of Eldin are the only ones in Hyrule?_ the dragon knight laughed to himself, _Oh, this is too easy._

"Wizzro! Leave some of the troops in the castle and begin leading the rest back to the Temple of Souls. I will join you in a few minutes," he roared, not caring if Wizzro answered, diving after the child. Picking up the scent, he plunged through the first tunnel, taking a right at the fork, dodging stalactites in his path. Volga sent a quick fireball down the tunnel ahead of him as a warning to the boy, satisfied by the surprised yelp that followed. He really wasn't that far behind at all.

"I have you now, boy."

Three wingbeats later, Volga landed at the edge of a lake of lava, recognising it as one of his favourite training spots, due to the fact that there was a giant opening in the rock, opening a path to the sky. The white-haired child was nowhere to be seen, but his scent was prominent in this particular cavern. The dragon knight kept his spear close to his chest, scanning the area for any telltale signs of movement.

"Come out, I know you're in here. You can't hide from me."

A sudden gust of wind behind him made him turn, armoured feet clicking against the stone floor. _Strange,_ Volga thought, _that felt cold. There has never been cold air in Eldin before._ He turned again, feeling the same chill pass by him a second time. It was aiming for the opening. Crouching into a battle stance, the dragon knight raised one fist, transforming it into a claw, blazing with power. A soft gasp of fear caused his ears to prick up.

"Got you."

A stream of fire burst from the dragon's lips, lighting up the cave like a firework. A startled cry ripped from the boy as he tumbled out from behind the stalactite he was using as a hiding spot. He rolled up onto his feet and sprang into the air, swinging a crooked staff in Volga's direction. A blue spike of ice shot towards the dragon, forcing him to dodge and throw more flames back in return. Frost began spreading from where the ice spike had struck the stone, surprising Volga. _You must be powerful if you can freeze igneous rock like that. This will be interesting,_ the dragon knight smirked, watching the boy's movements. He was very thin, clad in brown leggings and a blue... thing with a hood. His feet were bare, and the crooked staff seemed to be covered in ice. The two opposites stared each other down, as if daring the other to make the first move. With a swift battle cry, Volga lunged forward, his wings opening as move of him transformed into his reptilian appearance, catching the boy off guard. He clearly didn't expect a man to be able to change into a dragon in a few seconds flat. Volga swung his tail to the right, knocking his enemy towards the lava lake, forcing him to lose his grip on his staff. It tumbled several meters to the left of the boy across the edge of the lake but didn't fall in. Changing back to normal, the dragon knight shot forward like a bolt from a crossbow, grasped the boy by the arms and dragged him into the air. The pair hovered above the lava, the younger struggling like mad. Rolling his eyes, Volga growled quietly.

"Keep struggling like that and I'll drop you in."

That stopped the squirming.

"Now then, I am going to give you a choice. Either you can come with me to my mistress," Volga internally winced at the term he had been forced to use when talking about Cia, "without trying to escape, or I can drop you straight into the lake from here, and you will burn alive," letting out a combination of a growl and a laugh, Volga tossed the boy up, catching him by the hood in one of his claws, "Don't think I won't drop you."

The child cried out in panic, trying to grab onto Volga's talons. The dragon could practically feel the fear radiating from the pale boy. His gaze kept flickering from the knight holding him in the air and the staff on the ground 50 meters below them. Volga gave him a light shake, feeling the fabric of the hood tear slightly.

"Hurry up with your decision, boy. I won't wait forever."

A horrified gasp escaped the young male and he stopped his weak struggles, "Alright, alright, I'll go quietly. Please, don't let me fall!"

Jumbled begs and pleads for his life fell past the boy's lips, until Volga had no choice but to set him down. Well, not exactly. The dragon knight hovered about a foot above the stone floor and tossed the child down. Ignoring the groan of pain, he scooped up the staff lying at the edge of the lava, examining it for any dangers.

"You summoned ice from this, yet it can barely be called a weapon. Have you never had it reinforced in any way?"

"The ice I can control strengthens it. It doesn't need reinforcing."

Acknowledging the boy's breathless reply with a curt nod, Volga tossed it towards him, "Don't even think of using it," without warning, he transformed fully into his dragon form and grasped the child in his claws, pinning his arms to his sides, one of which held the staff, and swooped out of the Eldin Caves, following Wizzro and the remaining troops.

/

"You're saying, Volga, that you captured a teenage boy who has the ability to manipulate ice to his will?"

Jack kept silent, a task he wasn't known for completing to the highest of levels. He had been forced to kneel in front of the dragon - Volga, that was his name - knight's mistress. She was strangely dressed: the right leg was covered in a purple skirt, the other was bare, save for an intricate golden band around her thigh. Her upper body was covered (if it could even be described like that; it left very little to the imagination) with material of the same shade of violet as the skirt, and one shoulder sported several scarlet feathers. Her right arm, like her right leg, was also covered; her left had nothing but a bracelet twisting around it. Her face was hidden beneath a bird-like helm.

"Yes, Mistress Cia."

Cia slowly stood from her cross-legged perch in the centre of the dark room, approaching Jack, "Boy, is what my dragon knight is telling me true? Can you truly control ice?"

Jack didn't particularly want to answer her, but with the tip of Volga's spear resting on the back of his neck, and no staff to defend himself with (it had been taken from him by Volga when they had landed), he was forced to reply truthfully, "Yes, I can."

"What is your name, young one?"

"Jack Frost."

Cia made a soft humming noise in the back of her throat, coming to a stop directly in front of the snow sprite and lifting his head with the base of her own staff, "Now, where have I heard that name before... No matter. I suppose I could make use of you, if you will obey me."

Jack's pride suddenly jabbed at him, and before he could stop himself he snapped at her, "Why should I serve you? I am a free spirit, literally, and I don't need to obey anyone!"

An exaggerated sigh escaped the woman's lips, "Why must all my possible allies be so difficult to convince? Wizzro betrayed me before I put him under my control, I had to fight Volga myself to persuade him, and you... Your simple refusal has annoyed me too," she slowly rested a hand on Jack's head, closing her eyes. Jack felt Volga wince slightly behind him, the spear twitching in his grip, accidentally cutting a shallow wound into his neck. The snow sprite bit his lip to stop himself crying out in pain - like any fighter, he refused to show weakness in front of the enemy - but a sharp pain in his head forced him to release the sound he was holding back. Dark magic burned around Cia's fingers, seeping into Jack's skull like water into a sponge. He could feel her searching through his mind, his memories, reading through everything he had ever done, everything he had ever been through, everything he had ever seen. A black haze descended on his thoughts, enveloping him in darkness. Jack's hands clutched at his hair, as if trying to tear the black magic from his mind.

"No!"

Cia's eyes grew wide as she discovered Jack's experience with Pitch, how he had tried, and failed, to control the winter spirit, and how Jack had come together with his fellow Guardians to send him back into the shadows he had crawled out of. She saw Jack become a Guardian. She saw Jack's relationship with Jamie grow into a brotherly bond. She saw the smashed snow globe and the portal to Hyrule pulling Jack in. She saw the chase through the Eldin Caves, and Jack's capture. Finally, she understood Jack and every experience he had lived through. In him, she saw a hardened, though not quite tempered, warrior. A final burst of dark magic flowed through the snow sprite and he looked her in the eye, ice blue eyes tinged with violet. She ran a hand over his shoulder, never breaking eye contact with him, and pulled his hood up to conceal his hair.

"There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" when Jack didn't answer, Cia snapped her fingers at the dragon knight behind him, "Volga, you will teach Jack the ways of our enemies, and you will train him to become a warrior like yourself. Understood?"

"Yes, mistress."

"Good. You will be sharing quarters for the moment. Try not to get into too much trouble, hmm?" the witch giggled softly. The part of Jack that was still free bristled angrily at that, and the purple faded from his eyes for a split second. Still, he didn't speak.

That night, Jack sat in the open window, looking out over Hyrule, the moon gazing down on him, his staff standing beside the huge bed behind him. He wasn't certain if Man in the Moon could hear him from this world, but since he was alone (sort of, Volga was asleep) he thought he should at least try.

"Manny? Can you hear me?"

No answer. But then again, MIM rarely responded to any of the Guardians unless they were all in grave danger, so Jack kept talking.

"I know you probably won't answer, but I need to figure out a way to get home. There has to be some way to get away from here and go home. How long have I been gone? What if time runs differently back home?" Question after question tumbled from Jack, and he felt himself beginning to tip over the edge. Tears filled his eyes to the brim and threatened to overflow, "What will happen to Jamie with me gone? Will he stop believing in me? Am I overreacting? Yeah, I'm probably overreacting, aren't I?" the snow spirit laughed to himself, "Pitch is gone, so he should be fine."

"Ugh... Frost, who are you talking to?"

Startled, Jack swung around, rubbing a hand across his face to conceal his tears. Had Volga heard all of that? How long had he been awake without the spirit realising?! The dragon stretched himself awake before sleepily stalking over to the young Guardian by the window.

"If... If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

"I am a dragon and a human at the same time. There are few things I would refuse to believe."

"I... I..." Jack felt like he had lost his voice. No matter how hard he tried, no words would come out of his mouth. Bowing his head, he turned back to the window, staring up at the moon through his strands of white hair. Silently, he begged for an answer, a sign, anything to tell him Manny was listening to him.

"You're worried about going home, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

The dragon nodded solemnly, joining him on the ledge, "I know the feeling. The one thing I want to do is return to the caves and live without Cia's voice forcing me to do something I want no part of."

The snow spirit sighed softly, leaning forwards over the drop from the window to the ground about 10 feet below. Nightmares couldn't reach this timeline, right? Dammit. If they could, Jack would have welcomed an attack, just so he could leave this conversation and have something else to clear his mind. Tapping his foot absentmindedly, he didn't realize ice was spreading from his agitated form until Volga jumped backwards.

"Watch it, boy!"

The dragon blew fire at the spreading frost, melting it instantly. Surprised, the snow spirit also leapt backwards, almost losing his balance and falling out of the open window. He grasped the stone on either side of him, pulling himself back inside. Volga stared at Jack in fury.

"You're lucky I was ordered not to harm you, otherwise I would have torn your throat out by now."

Jack swallowed nervously. He could easily tell Volga was being deadly serious. He already knew how fearsome the dragon knight was, and he didn't want to see that again. The low growl echoing from his throat was enough to scare Jack enough that he was sure he just fuelled Pitch's return to power back home. He shivered a bit, putting as much distance between himself and Volga as possible. The dragon sighed, a tiny flame escaping from his lips.

"It's late enough as it is. Sleep."

Keeping his head down, Jack curled up on the floor beside the huge bed. He had refused it, since he was far more accustomed to sleeping outside than anywhere else, especially after 300 years of solitude. Every night he had slept either in a tree or a pile of snow, with only a silent moon to watch over him. Previously, it had made him want to scream curses at the rest of the world for being so cruel, but then, he shifted the blame to the moon itself. The moon that never talked back. He listened to Volga toss a blanket over himself before he threw another down to the snow sprite. It landed over his head and upper torso, making him groan in frustration and yank it away. Jack pushed the cover away from him, as he was more comfortable in the cold than anything else, squirmed a little to make himself comfier, before slowly drifting off to sleep.

/

Several days of torturous training later, Jack headed out to Skyloft alongside Volga. They and Cia's new ally Ghirahim needed to guard the Gate of Souls in that timeline, but Link, or as Cia liked to call him, the Hero, was bound to interfere at some point. Ghirahim wasn't making matters any easier, with his near-constant hair flipping, which brought several facepalms and mental jokes from Jack. The demon had attempted to slip into the enemy base in order to capture it, but he had been stopped by Link and a woman covered entirely in blue and purple, calling herself Fi. She proclaimed her mission was to serve Link in his quest to bring peace to Hyrule once again, and they forced Ghirahim to flee easily. However, Jack had his suspicions that the demon lord was planning something that neither he nor Volga had any part of. To be honest, Jack was actually thankful for that. Twice, the Thunder Dragon, Levias, had connected the floating islands to allow Link to continue (which, to Jack, mainly seemed like very convenient rock placement), and Volga was about to attack the green-clad hero.

"This might just be interesting. Are you ready to fight a real warrior?" Jack heard him mutter under his breath, before he started advancing, "Jack, are you coming, or are you staying to guard the base?"

"I'll come. Just like you, I want to test this hero," the snow sprite knew Cia was twisting his words, but he just couldn't stop them. Normally he would have fought back more than a hundred times over for his own freedom, but he had no option. He flew beside Volga, battling their way through scores of soldiers, none of which could land a hit on either of them. As they reached the central keep, they were met by the Hero himself.

"Finally..."

The blonde boy seemed surprised that there was another adversary alongside Volga, but he didn't let it phase him for long. Fi had joined him, and they charged the dragon knight and the snow spirit almost immediately. Jack rolled beneath one of Fi's feet, hearing Volga grunt as Link landed a hit on his armoured shoulder. Being the more agile one, the winter spirit dodged Fi constantly, and even managed to shoot a few ice spears at Link as he did so, landing a couple of hits and maybe causing a bit of frostbite. _I really don't want to do this_ , he thought, _but I have no choice. Sorry, Link_. Again and again, the boy in green, no older than Jack physically looked, struck the dragon, weakening him. Fi was always blocking Jack's path to his ally.

"Don't make me laugh. I was expecting a fight worth my time, not this child's play!" Flames erupted all over Volga, making him glow scarlet. Jack darted out of his path, listening to a loud rumble from Levias.

"How impudent... If only I were at full strength. I would crush that dragon like the snake he is."

Apparently, Fi also heard him, as she turned to Link, "Master, I have a suggestion. The local Great Fairy may be able to increase Levias' strength."

Having been taught about Great Fairies before, Jack knew exactly what to do. According to the map, the Fairy Fountain was to the east, and Link was already beginning to advance towards it.

"Volga, hold your ground here. I'll cut him off," adjusting his grip on his staff, the snow spirit leapt onto the top of the keep walls, pushing off as fast as he could, chasing after Link. Boosted by the wind, he landed alongside several Aeralfos directly outside the blocked entrance to the fountain. It didn't take long for Link to appear, the tiny blue fairy that served as his voice bouncing around him.

"Who are you? I've never seen you before," she tittered, reminding Jack slightly of Baby Tooth. He winced slightly, hiding it well.

"You wouldn't be the first to say that."

"What?"

The snow sprite twirled his staff between his fingers expertly, "I'm not from around here."

"At least tell us your name."

"Why? So you can run back to your princess and cry out my name in fear? As if anyone would actually take you seriously."

The tiny fairy moved closer to him, but he didn't take his eyes off Link, who had his sword and shield raised. Tossing his staff from hand to hand, Jack sent a tentative glance towards the keep Volga was in. The scarlet glow of dragonfire kept flashing brighter as he burned scores of soldiers. Ice began to spread from Jack's bare feet as he slowly advanced towards Link. The hero wasted no time and launched himself at the snow spirit, striking down on the ice-covered wood of his staff. Metal and ice collided, both males pushing as hard as they could against the other. Dark magic whispered in the back of Jack's mind, pushing him, encouraging him, overcoming his mind and wiping all individual thoughts from him, egging him on, as the youth of his home would put it. It sounded like a whistle of the wind, but much darker.

 _ **That's right. You deserve to be noticed. 300 years is too long to spend unseen. You deserve to be known. You deserve all of this. They all see you. Isn't that what you wanted?**_

 _No..._

 ** _Oh yes, Jack. You wanted this all along. To be seen. To be heard. To have someone notice you at last. You remember what Pitch Black said, don't you?_**

 _I am not Pitch._

 _ **But you listened to him, didn't you?**_

 _NO!_

The snow spirit stumbled a bit, losing his balance. Link made a move to catch him, surprised at the sudden glitch in the system. Jack groaned, raising a hand to his head.

"Wha... Where am I?"

Link stared at him, confused. The fairy beside him was silent. Almost losing his grip on his staff, Jack clutched his head, his eyes flickering between blue-tinged-violet and his usual ice blue. He shuddered, trying to block the darkness from his mind. No, no, no, no, no! What the heck was going on? What had Cia done to him?! He slowly looked up at Link.

"Please... Help us..."

As soon as he had said that, darkness overtook him again, forcing him to swing his staff right at Link's head. The hero ducked under it, dodging the ice that launched from it. Violet invaded his eyes again, and Jack threw himself forwards. Link flipped over him, striking from behind with his shield. His soldiers attacked the Aeralfos that had followed Jack. The Hylian shield struck Jack hard, sending him sprawling to the ground. Frost spread out in its fern-like design beneath him, creeping towards the hero, who pulled another weapon from his belt, which sort of reminded him of Cia's staff, unleashing a burst of fire straight at the snow spirit. A horrible image of a fireball chasing after him down a stone tunnel flashed across his mind, and he froze in place long enough for it to hit him and knock him down again. Eyes wide, he lay there on his back for a few seconds, trembling in shock, giving Link enough time to slip into the Fairy Fountain. He was quickly back on his feet when he realised what happened.

"No, Volga!"

A loud crash shattered the air as lightning struck the keep Volga was in. Jack shot into the air, watching as Link sprinted out of the Fountain, straight back towards Volga. The snow spirit called out to the wind, letting it carry him over the gap between the two islands, landing beside the dragon knight, who had been driven to his knees by the lightning.

"Ugh... How could you..."

The Guardian tried to pull the dragon to his feet, "Volga, please we have to go. I don't want either of us to die!"

"No! A warrior never runs from a fight!"

"No, Volga, listen to me!"

But the dragon paid no attention to him, charging towards Link, despite his dwindling energy. Jack, hesitant as he was, attempted to follow him, but was blocked by Fi. It was all he could do to just protect himself from her. He had lost all enthusiasm and adrenaline for the fight. Volga wasn't doing any better; each strike he threw at Link was blocked and countered with a slash across his armour. He stumbled back towards his ally, losing fast. His attacks grew sluggish as the last of his energy petered out and his legs gave out beneath him. Jack rolled under Fi again, coming up on one knee beside the dragon knight.

"Volga..."

Said knight was struggling to stand, "Ugh... I would have defeated you, if not for the sky lord's interference..."

Jack hauled him up, ignoring the conversation between Link, Fi, and the tiny fairy bouncing around their heads, "Come on. We need to get back."

As they slowly returned to the base, and from there back to the Temple, Jack didn't miss Ghirahim snickering about something, though as to what it was, he really didn't give a Din-damned Skulltula about it.

/

"Hold still, will you? I can't replace the bandages if you keep moving so much!"

"I told you, I don't need you taking care of me, Frost!"

"Dammit, Volga, stop being so stubborn all the time! You're not made of flipping diamond, for Din's sake!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Jack was officially 5000% done. All he was trying to do was change the bandages covering Volga's wounds and then sleep, but no, the dragon knight had to be difficult about it and not let him get anywhere close. Their weapons lay crossed in a pile of the floor, having been deposited there the second they returned. He leaned his head back, groaning.

"You know what? Fine. Go ahead, do it yourself. You clearly don't need my help."

Startled by the sudden change of heart, Volga tilted his head, "What..."

Ignoring him, Jack threw the roll of bandages he had been holding at the dragon knight and hopped up onto the window ledge, perching there to look over Hyrule. Dumbfounded, Volga stared at him, his quick reflexes allowing him to catch the bandages before they hit him in the face. He looked down at them, then back up at Jack's curled form. The boy's hood covered his head and he almost looked like a miniature blue Goron who just wanted some time alone. A tiny flame escaped from his mouth as he sat down, taking the bandages in one hand.

Then, out of nowhere, the door slammed open, nearly making Jack fall off the ledge.

"I knew it! I knew I had heard the name 'Jack Frost' before!" Cia crowed triumphantly, holding a small book in a very intricately designed cover, "I found this in the library. Perhaps it may be of interest to both of you."

She tossed it down onto the bed beside Volga before sweeping out with a flourish of dark magic. Jack nearly laughed at her, picturing Ghirahim in her place, flipping his hair and cape all over the place, resulting in a confused look from Volga. The snow spirit simply shook his head and, curious, leapt from the window and landed perfectly behind his partner.

" _Volvagia's Brother_? Who's Volvagia?"

"From what I know, he was a subterranean lava dragon. I am his reincarnation"

"Wow..." Jack trailed off a bit, "So who the Farore was his brother?"

"I honestly don't know," Volga studied the cover a bit, which kind of looked like ice and fire combined, "By why did Cia think it would interest both of us?"

"No idea, but I know I'm interested."

A soft chuckle rumbled from the dragon's chest, "Alright then. You go first."

Eagerly, Jack grabbed the book and quickly flipped open to the first page, scanning the first few words, which were written in silver ink, "Tale of two dragons... One of fire... The other..." he gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth.

"What? What is it?"

"One of fire, the other... ice."

Jack almost dropped the book, startled. Ice was his domain, and fire was Volga's. Could that mean... no. It couldn't. It just wasn't possible. I'm a spirit, he's a dragon knight, how the heck can we have ancestors who were brothers? I mean, I couldn't control ice until I became who I am now, so it can't be!

"Ice? How is that possible?" Volga was equally confused.

"I guess the only way to find out is to read it," trying to keep his voice steady, Jack slowly plunged into the story.

/ Do not think any of this story is true. It is not. I made it up purely for the sake of the crossover /

' _Many know the story of Volvagia, from the Era of the Hero of Time, how the Hero saved him from a life of slavery from Castle Town Marketplace, how the King of Evil, Ganondorf, enslaved him, and how the Hero once again saved him from his slavery, but while the Hero was in his seven-year slumber, what truly happened in the caverns of Death Mountain? An unknown story lies within these pages, passed on from the moon himself,'_ here, Jack tried not to gasp at the mention of MIM, ' _During his adventures as a child, the Hero of Time came across a baby dragon for sale in Castle Town Marketplace. Out of the kindness of his heart, he bought it and set it free, though it followed him and became a very close friend of his. The dragon's name was Volvagia. When the Hero fell into his seven years of slumber, Volvagia wandered into the caverns of Death Mountain, which quickly became his home. While visiting the neighbouring Lizalfos, he became aware of the presence of another dragon. A wounded one. Following the scent, he climbed through several tunnels, using his two legs and serpentine body to climb the rocks, Volvagia discovered a dragon he had never seen before. With spines as white as snow and scales as blue as a frozen lake on a clear day, the newcomer had no place in the mountain, and was losing consciousness. Thanks to the Hero of Time's kindness, Volvagia understood exactly what he needed to do. Pulling the weakened dragon onto his back, he carried the newcomer out of the hottest part of the caves in the Fire Temple towards the home of the Gorons, where the heat didn't reach as intensely as in his home, thus saving his life. Over time, the newcomer healed and thanked Volvagia for what he did for him, introducing himself as an ice dragon, Jokul_ _Frosti..._ '

Jack trailed off. That name sounded suspiciously like his own. Perhaps that was what tied himself and Volga together? Jokul Frosti and Volvagia weren't brothers though, so why was the book titled _Volvagia's Brother_? Seeing his stunned silence, Volga took over from where he left off.

' _He had been chased from Zora's Domain for accidentally freezing a cavern near the Fountain where their Guardian Spirit, Lord Jabu-Jabu, resided, and had been so afraid he hadn't realised how far he had strayed into the hotter regions. Even in Goron City, the heat still affected him, though not as much as before. Volvagia remained by his side, even when Jokul was fully recovered. They had quickly bonded, and Volvagia's loneliness demanded he found a companion to replace the Hero during his slumber, so he accepted the ice dragon as his brother. For several years, the two lived in peace, side by side, until Ganondorf came to Death Mountain. When Jokul heard his brother's roars of pain, he swiftly flew to his side, but it was too late. Volvagia had already fallen under Ganondorf's spell. He was too caught up in his own sorrow to realise Ganondorf was taking control of him too, and before he knew it, Jokul was also enslaved by the King of Evil. Ganondorf used him to completely freeze Zora's Domain, trapping all but one under the ice. A mysterious male named Sheik escaped with the Zora Princess, Ruto, and witnessing her escape brought Jokul back to his senses. He fought back against Ganondorf, forcing him to flee, and the ice dragon his himself away in the Ice Cavern, waiting for the Hero to set things right. Several weeks later, Jokul_ _Frosti heard a mighty explosion from the volcano, which had been rumbling for many days, threatening to erupt. At first, he thought it had erupted as a result of Volvagia's corrupted mind, but when he peered out of the cavern for a closer look, Death Mountain wasn't erupting at all. In fact, he realised that the Hero had freed the Sage of Fire at last, which meant he had freed Volvagia too! Excitement flowing through his veins, Jokul flew from the caverns and into Death Mountain, disregarding the heat in his hurry. His hopes were doused when he arrived, however, as all that remained of his brother was a blackened skull. Another explosion shook the Mountain, but this time, it was with the sound of a mourning dragon. In his sorrow, Jokul fled, seeking a place where he could be alone. He didn't realise he was flying directly over the Hero until arrows started peppering his scales. Several were lodged in the cracks in his armour, digging into the flesh beneath them, driving the ice dragon into a desperate crash land. He collapsed at the edge of Lake Hylia. Already weakened significantly by the heat, Jokul lay dying from many fire arrows buried in his body. Unbeknownst to him, the moon was watching over him and pitied him. He didn't deserve anything that had happened. So he made him an offer. "If you wish it to be so," the Moon said, "I can take your spirit and pass it to another, thus giving your soul another chance. The bearer will not remember anything you have done, nor the events in this world, but one day he will come back to Hyrule and make peace for your spirit. That I can promise you." Jokul_ _Frosti quickly agreed, and the Moon took his spirit as he died, only leaving behind this book. Nobody knows whether the Moon kept his promise, but we can only hope the two dragons can rest in peace._ '

Jack was dumbstruck. The Moon, the name, the memories, everything came back to him being the bearer of Jokul Frosti's spirit! So that meant...

"Brothers? How does that make sense?"

"Ever heard of adoption? I kind of get it," the snow spirit rubbed his head, "Volvagia and Jokul adopted each other as family, instead of actually being related. I've seen it in families back home."

Barely understanding what Jack had said, Volga flicked through the remaining pages of the book, only to find there was nothing more, "They're all blank. There's nothing but the story in here, and it barely fills half of the pages."

"Maybe the Moon wanted the legacy of the two dragons to be continued by someone else?"

"But who? Not many actually know the story, much less what happened after."

Jack carefully took the novel in his hands, tracing the design on the cover, "We do. I think the Moon passed the spirit of Jokul on to me, but never told me about it because I had to find out for myself. When all this is over, we can record our part of the legend in here with the story of our past selves!"

The excitement radiating off Jack was infectious, and before he knew it, Volga had a wide smile over his own face, " A legend of our own... Why not?"

"Also, Volga?"

"What?"

Jack sprang onto the dragon from behind, the roll of bandages clutched in one hand, "Gotcha!"

"Hey! Get off!"

/

Allying with Ghirahim and Zant from the Twilight Realm had been a complete waste for Cia's forces. Both of them had been defeated by the Hero and his allies, and the situation had just deteriorated from there. Link had drawn the Master Sword from within the Temple it resided in, and Cia had tried to draw from the darkness within his heart, which had almost worked, but when the King of Evil mentioned in the book Jack and Volga had read showed up, everything had fallen apart. Cia's stronghold in the Valley of Seers had been attacked by Ganondorf not long afterwards, and Wizzro had turned traitor, resulting in his resealing away in the ring he came from (which kind of made Jack think of Lord of the Rings for some reason). Lana had aided them in the battle, but to both the dragon knight and the snow spirit, it was obvious that Cia's constant use of dark magic was eating away at her mind. They were the only ones by her side now, and the only generals left of her once powerful army. Their situation really didn't look very strong, now they were approaching what would most likely be Cia's final stand. The trio stood together at the head of the Valley of Seers, nervous, insanely muttering, and completely silent. Jack was absentmindedly tapping his staff against his leg when Cia perked up a bit, having heard armoured footsteps and a voice from across the soon-to-be battlefield.

"Cia... this is your work, isn't it?" *

The same thought rang out between the three of them, They're here. Jack glanced over at Volga, who nodded solemnly, and they both swiftly took their place overlooking the battle from the east-side keep. The three sanctums that were supporting Cia's magic were targeted and taken by the enemy forces, but at this point in the war, Jack was beginning to wonder who the real enemy was: the Hyrulean forces, or the man who drove Cia to do all this in the first place, Ganondorf? He didn't have long to think about it, as Cia quickly spoke again. She must have finally realized their situation was growing direr by the second.

"Jack, Volga, would you like a taste of my power? You can borrow it if you promise to play nice."

Out of nowhere, black magic rushed into both the Guardian and the dragon knight. Both cried out as the energy poured into them, energising their entire systems. Senses heightened, Jack sprang from his position, aiming directly for the Princess, who was heading for the Fairy Fountain.

"Volga, come on!"

Without answering, Volga soared over Jack's head, breathing huge balls of fire down towards Zelda and her allies. Jack launched a bolt of frost, covering the ground beneath their feet in ice, before landing perfectly on his feet in front of them. The Sheikah bodyguard stepped between him and Zelda. Volga landed beside the snow sprite.

"Princess, hurry! Link and I will buy you time!"

"Jack, you go after Zelda. Cut her off from the Fountain. You know how much damage they can do," the dragon knight whispered to his brother, who nodded and quickly took to the air, racing after the Princess. Landing directly before her, he blocked a swipe to the head from her rapier with his staff. Cia's power within him was dwindling, but he barely noticed. He was too caught up in his battle. He swung at her legs, hoping to freeze them in place, but missed by an inch. The ice spread over the ground behind her. She grabbed the tip of his staff, pulling him closer to her and staring him right in the eye.

"Jack, listen to me. Cia isn't your mistress. She shouldn't control a free spirit like you."

"You think I don't know that? I never wanted this! I was never supposed to come here in the first place! I'm here because of an accident!" Tears started to well up in Jack's eyes, "I never wanted to fight in a war... I never wanted to kill anyone..."

Shaken, the snow sprite looked down at his hoodie. It was almost unrecognizable, stained with blood of those he had slain. He fell to his knees before Zelda, eyes wide.

"What have I done?"

Cia's voice rang out in his head, **_What are you doing? Kill her! Now!_**

 _Leave me be._

 ** _No, I am your mistress and you will obey me!_**

 _Get out._

 _ **J**_ ** _ack Frost, you will kill her if it's the last thing you do!_**

 _YOU ARE NOT MY MISTRESS! I WILL NOT BE A PAWN OF DARKNESS!_

Black magic rushing from his mind, Jack tore Cia's chains from himself, throwing them off, his eyes returning to normal. He looked up at Zelda, smiling.

"Thank you."

The Princess smiled, reaching out to help him to his feet, "What of Volga? Is he in a similar situation to you?"

"Yes. Cia is using him, just like she used me."

She nodded solemnly, "Could you try to convince him to..."

Jack understood without her speaking, "I'll do what I can."

Zelda turned away and ran again, heading directly for the Fountain. Hesitating, Jack glanced back at the battle between Volga, Link and the Sheikah. What was her name again? Oh yeah, Impa, that was it. The snow sprite darted back across the battlefield towards his brother, dodging arrows and rocks thrown by Goron hands. He tackled Volga, sending them both tumbling over the ground of the Valley. The dragon tried to throw him off as soon as they came to a stop.

"Jack, what in Din's name are you doing?! We have to follow orders!"

"Since when? Look at me, Volga," Jack took hold of his brother's spear, which was crossed over his chest, with one hand, his staff clenched in the other, "We don't have to listen to her. You said it yourself. You wanted no part of this in the first place. Neither did I, we both know that."

The dragon knight's eyes widened, confusion and conflict ruling his mind, "What are you... talking about?"

"Come on, brother!" snow sizzled on his armour as Jack grasped his helmet, "You're a proud warrior! Are you going to just let her control you?"

Cia's influence melted away as Volga shed his own chains with an earsplitting roar, "No! I will not be used by darkness."

Jack let out a happy shout of laughter, "There's my brother!"

Volga transformed into a dragon right there underneath Jack, forcing him to roll away to keep himself from being swept up in the switch between forms. Flames bathed the air around them, almost singeing Jack's hair. The snow sprite laughed as he joined the dragon in the air, keeping up with him easily. He heard Cia cry out in anger, yelling at her troops to shoot the two of them down. Arrows whistled past the Guardian's bare feet, missing him by millimetres. Glancing at Volga, Jack led the two into a wild plunge, divebombing their attackers. Fire and ice flew across the battlefield, freezing and burning anything in their path. For a time, the two were invincible.

And then the beam of light struck.

Link and Zelda must have reached the Fairy Fountain and asked for aid, as out of nowhere a flock of fairies climbed high above the battlefield, splitting into three groups and forming a perfect Triforce. Light rained down on the enemy troops, only just missing Jack, but Volga...

He was caught in it.

At the unmistakable cry of agony from his brother, Jack turned in a swirl of snow. He echoed Volga and dived after him, watching as he reverted back to his human form, freefalling towards a large group of Hylian soldiers. Calling on the wind, Jack used it to catch Volga and guide him away from danger. He landed softly beside him.

"Volga? Brother, talk to me."

A low groan rumbled from his throat, "What happened?"

"You got caught in something from the Fountain."

Growling in pain, the dragon knight pushed himself to his feet, wordlessly threatening all who opposed him. The princess and the hero came dashing over to them.

"Oh my Nayru, are you alright? The Great Fairy never meant to catch you in the blow!" The blue fairy fluttered close to Volga's face. Irritated, he brushed her off.

"I'm fine. Are we going to finish this battle or not?"

"Of course. You two can both fly, so will you go on ahead and challenge Cia while we dispatch the remains of her troops?" Zelda scanned Volga and Jack, who swiftly nodded.

"We will."

She nodded and signalled for her bodyguard and the White Sorceress to follow her and Link further into the fray. Though weakened, the dragon opened his wings and took off, closely followed by his brother. They soared over the destruction, the painful memory of the two World Wars flashing through Jack's mind. Together, they landed at the head of the Valley, where Cia was waiting.

"Two little traitors... Why am I not surprised? You're just like that ring wizard! Untrustworthy, pathetic little traitors!"

Jack growled low in his throat, "We wanted no part in your war, Cia! End this, now, and let everyone go peacefully!"

"NEVER! No matter what betrayals I suffer, the Hero will stay by my side!"

Volga snarled, "Open your eyes! He is coming for you, but not as your ally, you know that!"

"SILENCE!"

Copies of Link, dark swordsmen, something both of them had seen before, dressed entirely in black, surrounded Cia, advancing on the brothers. Both raised their weapons, slowly closing the gap between them.

"You take the ones on the left, I'll take the ones on the right?" Jack whispered over his shoulder. Volga simply nodded in response, already gathering flames in his throat. The first Dark Link lunged for Jack, aiming for his throat. The snow sprite blocked the blow, lashing out with his staff and striking his enemy across the face, frost slowly spreading from his feet. Volga swung his spear over their heads, breathing a stream of flame directly towards their adversaries. A snowstorm began to build, swirling around the brothers. Jack was in his element, but Volga... To say he was struggling was the understatement of the year.

"Jack, cut it out with the snow! I can't see!"

Said Guardian couldn't hear his brother over the wind, snowflake dancing around him as he set upon the two Dark Links facing him. Staff collided with sword, and ice crackled as it spread further up their figures, freezing them instantly. Thinking Volga could handle the other two, he charged at Cia, dodging bolts of black magic. Snow coated the ground around them, ice shattering and darkness freezing in midair.

"Jack!"

Still unable to hear anything above the wind, which was tugging on Jack's sleeve like Baby Tooth did with his hood, Jack swung wildly at the black witch, anger building up inside him, making him erupt like an ice volcano. Over and over the pair clashed, evenly matched in almost every aspect. He flew up until he was directly above Cia, aimed his staff straight at her and launched a huge spray of frost, snow and ice, summoning every last scrap of energy he had to spare. Cia was caught right in the middle of it, as was one of the remaining Dark Links. Neither of the brothers noticed the final one.

"Ja- AAAAARRRGGGHHHH!"

A horrible shriek ripped from Volga's throat as a black sword plunged into him from behind. Jack froze. To him, everything became muted, like someone had turned the sound off in his mind. Everything slowed down dramatically. It was an eternity before scarlet scales met the stone of the keep floor. Blocking another burst of black energy, Jack launched a spear of ice through the last Dark Link, sending him flying as smoke on the wind. He crashlanded next to Volga, dropping his staff and rolling him onto his back.

"No... No, no, no, not again..."

Jack scrambled for his staff, bringing the base crashing down to the ground. Ice spread out from the point where wood and stone met, forming a giant snowflake around the fallen dragon and the Guardian. Blue eyes caught a glimpse of a green tunic rushing up towards Cia, before an ice dome closed over the pair. Dropping down to his knees, the snow sprite felt a tear freeze on his cheek.

"Hold on... don't leave me, brother..."

Silence answered him. Gazing down at his brother, Jack hunched over him, tears welling up more in his eyes.

"Volga?"

Still no answer.

"No..."

A sizzle, followed by another, then another. Jack hadn't even realized he was crying until he heard them. Wait... if Volga's armour was still hot, then the dragonfire hadn't yet gone out, which meant...

The eternity of waiting that Jack went through as he absorbed what he now understood nearly tore him apart. Shoulders heaving, he stared down at Volga, willing him to wake up. Desperate, his snow-white hair brushed scarlet armour, shuddering as he lowered his head.

"Jack..."

Starting at the sound of his brother's voice, Jack sat up as if he had just realized he was late for something. Volga's eyes were barely open beneath his helmet, but to Jack, that meant everything. He was alive! A bittersweet laugh caught in his throat and he choked out a half-chuckle, half-sob. A gauntleted hand met his cheek and brushed the tears away.

"Don't weep for me, brother. It's a sign of weakness."

There he went, with his talk of always remaining strong, no matter what situation. Even as he lay fatally wounded, Volga didn't change. His helmet slipped from his head, letting Jack properly see his face for the first time. The blackened skin around his eyes spread almost all the way up to his hairline, hiding deep scars that wove their way across his forehead. In fact, similar marks lined his face. His helmet must have hidden the majority of them. The snow spirit rested his brother's head on his knee, supporting him.

"Jack, you must know I don't have much longer-"

"Volga, no. Please don't make me go through this again. I told you what happened when Sandy was killed by Pitch."

The dragon chuckled, blood dripping from the wound in his chest, "I know. Listen, I want you to take my helm. Take it with you when you return home. I won't need it, where I'm going."

His heart breaking, shattering like a mirror hit with a hammer, Jack shuddered, his breath coming in short bursts. Sobs wracked his entire body, leaving him feeling empty inside, like a jigsaw with a lost piece. It was like he would never be complete again. He never took his eyes off Volga as he lifted his head to look him in the eye.

"Just... promise me you will not forget me."

"How could I forget my own brother?" bitterly, the Guardian sighed, another tear slipping down his face. A weak smile passed over Volga's features and he coughed up black smoke and blood.

"Then... I lose... But I do so without regrets."

With that, a last puff of smoke left the dragon as the air rushed from his lungs, his eyes closed and his entire body went slack, leaving behind a wailing snow spirit, a spear and a helmet.

/

After the battle, which Jack had spent the remaining time of within his ice bubble, mourning his brother, the Dinolfos and Lizalfos of the Eldin Caves carried their master back home, forming a solemn procession back to the caverns where Jack and Volga first fought. Link, Lana the White Sorceress, Zelda and her Sheikah bodyguard, Impa, joined them. Jack refused to leave Volga's side. No attempt anyone made, human or reptilian, could console him. His eyes red and bloodshot, one hand clutching his staff, the other Volga's spear, he trudged alongside the depleted forces of the Eldin Caves. In the honour of the generations-old tradition of the dragons, any and all deceased would be burned in dragonfire, so they left the world in the same way they arrived in**.

When they arrived, some troops that had left the battlefield earlier than everyone else had already prepared the funeral pyre. One by one, the dead were laid upon the pile of wood. Jack carried Volga up to the peak of it himself, laying his spear across his chest as if to defend him from monsters in another life. The Lizalfos Chieftain lit five torches and handed one to each of their guests, and Jack was the first to touch the dragonfire to the bonfire, lighting it ablaze. The snow spirit couldn't bring himself to watch as it climbed up the wood and met Volga's body. Instead, he looked down at the helmet, clutching it tighter until his fingertips and knuckles turned white - well, whiter than they naturally were - and desperately tried to stop the tears that were welling up in his eyes from falling. Behind him, Zelda had started to pluck the strings on her harp, playing a song passed down from legend. As the pyre blazed, another Lizalfos approached Jack. In its claws, it tenderly held a book.

"Master wanted you to have this. Said it would mean the world to you."

Jack immediately recognised the intricate fire-and-frost pattern of the cover, " _Volvigia's Brother_..."

The helmet was rested on the stone beside him, and the snow sprite carefully took the book in both hands, tears now freely running down his face. He fell to his knees, hugging the half-empty book to his chest. The Lizalfos retreated from the weeping Guardian, wanting to comfort him but afraid to show weakness in front of its comrades. Link and the rest of the Hylian commanders hung back from the bonfire, leaving Jack to his own devices.

When everyone had left, Jack stayed, alone. The fire had burned itself out, leaving charred remains. He climbed the ashes, ignoring the heat burning his bare feet, black dust clinging to his pale skin. All that the flames had left of Volga was his spear and his armour. Kneeling down beside them, the snow sprite conjured up a snowflake, one that would never melt, part of his own power, and gently laid it where Volga's heart would have been.

"So you don't forget me either."

His staff planted in the cinders by his side, Jack buried his head in his hands, broken sobs catching in his throat. Frozen tears stuck to his cheeks as snow slowly started falling around him, some of them swirling around his thin body. Leaning back, he looked up, past the rock of the caves, past the clouds where Skyloft had once been, up to where he thought the goddesses would be, opened his mouth and screamed his pain to the sky. What the goddesses heard was not the cry of a bereaved snow spirit, but the roar of a mourning dragon. Jack remained at the top of the ash pile for what felt like hours.

Somewhere during that time, someone had hugged him from behind, someone else had asked him what happened, and someone else had picked him up in furry arms and had carried him through a portal, followed by the other three, one of which carried his staff.

/

From that day on, Jack isolated himself, locking himself away from the other Guardians, sometimes even going as far as fleeing to Antarctica after a particularly bad flashback. He was never far from his book, though, documenting the time he and Volga had spent together in its empty pages every time he could, trying to ignore the tears staining the paper. Smudges of ink and black blots became the norm for him. He had retreated to the same empty storage room he had frozen before he had been pulled into Hyrule, covering it with as much ice as possible to make a miniature fortress/maze to hide himself away. Its paths often changed, keeping anyone from finding him in the centre.

Not even _Jamie_ could get to him.

"Jack, please come out! Everyone's waiting for you!"

Jamie's voice crept over the ice surrounding the frost child, calling out to him threw the blizzard that was his mind, but Jack simply curled up tighter. He really didn't want Jamie to see him like this.

"Jack?"

Again, Jack ignored his cries, turning back to the tiny piano he had asked North to create. He was trying desperately to figure out the song Zelda had played (he had heard from her that it was called the Song of Healing) and was using it to distract himself from thinking about Volga's body, blazing in the bonfire in the Eldin Caves. Note after note softly chimed from the miniature contraption, yet he still wept.

"Please, Jack, come out. We need you. I need you."

 _Volga_ _needed_ _me, but_ _I_ _failed_ _him_ , the Guardian thought, tears cutting through his pale skin, "Jamie, please leave me be. I'm sorry, but I can't come play with you right now. Just... Just go."

"Jack..."

"Just go!"

Silence followed. Jamie had left. Jack was alone again.

/

Meanwhile, back in Hyrule, a spirit was stirring within Eldin Caves. He struggled to his feet, stretching as if he was just waking up, which, in a sense, he was. Scarlet armour covered his body, scales stretching over his arms and legs. Climbing to his feet, he pushed the blanket of black dust off him, flicking the last few grains from his shoulders. Glancing around, he took in the smokey scent of the cavern he found himself in. A huge lava pool bubbled a few meters away from him. Slowly, he took a couple of steps forward, pausing when he felt something nudge against his metal-covered foot. Glancing down, he noticed it was a spear, the head of it resembling a dragon. Carefully, he crouched and picked it up. It fit perfectly in his hand, as if it had been made for him. Tossing it between his palms, he twisted it through his fingers, marveling at how natural it felt to him. Suddenly, out of nowhere, flames erupted along the shaft, spreading along the whole weapon and even up to his fingers, creeping over the scales. He cried out in shock, almost dropping the spear in surprise.

"What in Din's name-?!"

Wait a second, who in Hyrule is Din?

And what the Din is Hyrule?

Confused, he stared at the flickering tongues that covered his arm. They didn't burn him, though his instincts told him they should, and he couldn't help but wonder why something so beautiful could harm anything. A patch of white light surrounded him, forcing him to look up. A blinding, huge disk peered at him through a giant gap in the rock of the cavern high above him.

"Greeting Volga, Dragon Knight."

He glanced around. The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, but there was nobody else in the cavern except him. Was he Volga, the one the voice spoke of?

"Yes, young spirit. You are Volga. Look up."

Volga, as was his name, lifted his gaze back up to the huge disk above him. He squinted, raising one hand to shield his vision.

"Who are you?"

"I am the Man in the Moon. You don't remember anything from your past life here in Hyrule, do you?"

Oh, so Hyrule was a place? That made sense. Saddened by his lack of memory, Volga spoke in a voice just above a whisper.

"I had a past life?"

"Yes, my child. Unfortunately, memories aren't something I can give. However, perhaps I can provide a reminder."

Another white patch crept over the soot and ash lining the ground, something flashing a brighter, purer shade of ivory as it passed, sparkling in the black dust. Carefully, Volga scooped it up in his hands. A snowflake, one that looked untouched by any hands before his own, made of pure snow and perfectly formed ice, rested in his palm, unmarred by the cinders it had resided in. Its stark white colour reminded him of Jack's hair. He smiled, wondering how he was doing, where he was.

 _Wait_ _a_ _minute..._

 **He** **remembered** **Jack!**

Memory after memory swept through Volga's mind; Cia's control over him, fighting Jack in the same cavern he was stood in at that moment, the battle on Skyloft, the discovery of their history and ancestors, the battle against Cia, then... Dark Link striking him down and Jack kneeling over his broken body as he lay there dying. _But_ _if_ _I_ _died, how_ _am_ _I_ _here?_ he wondered.

As if hearing his thought, the Man in the Moon replied, "I saw how brave you were, constantly. You didn't quake in fear where others would have. You weren't afraid when you stared death in the face time and time again. You didn't want to die, which is expected of anyone, but you didn't fear death."

"Death is nothing but part of the cycle of natural life."

"Indeed. When you died, and your body burned in the coals of the fire in which you now stand, I brought your spirit back from the gates of the Underworld, for two reasons. One, I have chosen you as the newest Guardian of Childhood, and two, Jack is falling into severe misery after your death. He blames himself for not paying attention to your situation while he fought Cia."

"He blames himself for my death..."

Though Volga couldn't physically see the Man in the Moon, he imagined him nodding solemnly, "Yes. He needs you to bring him out of that darkness. He's already spent 300 years alone; losing someone as close as you could scar him mentally for life."

Nodding, the Dragon Knight stood from his crouched position among the ash of his own funeral pyre, "I will not abandon my brother. Even if it means dying all over again, I will not let him sink into darkness."

The Man in the Moon chuckled a little, "I thought you would say that. Allow me to open a pathway to the Guardians for you."

Immediately, a swirl of colour and white sparks tore the fabric of space and time right in front of him. At the end of the tunnel, snow spun wildly around a huge fortress built in a wall of ice.

"Jack..."

"I will warn you, the temperature on the other side of the portal are below zero at the moment."

A soft laugh slipped from Volga's chest as he approached the opening, spear and snowflake in hand, "I can handle low temperatures."

"I know you can," the Man in the Moon chuckled, "Good luck, Guardian."

/

Meanwhile, at the other pole, Jack was curled up, snowflakes storming for miles around him. He had left the other Guardians at least 4 hours ago, and he had hidden himself in his second favourite place in the world (his first being Burgess). Memories overwhelmed him, biting him to the bone and freezing him in his tightly-compressed bubble of misery, threatening to plunge him into a lake of black so deep he would never come up for air again, a pool with no end. Already a blanket of snow covered his body, his staff tightly clenched in one hand, Volga's helmet balanced on a pile of white fluff beside him, _Volvigia's Brother_ tucked safely in his pocket.

"Why? Why didn't I pay more attention? Why... Why didn't I... Why didn't I... turn around... like nobody did for me... before I became a Guardian?" he repeated over and over again, frozen tears sticking to his face and shattering on his skin. No blood flowed from the open wounds he bore. Heartbroken, the snow spirit lay there, not looking up when the wind brushed over his shoulder, trying to comfort him. He hadn't moved at all since he had arrived and just lay there, covered in a layer of white.

Hours passed, and Jack remained. He constantly kept brushing stray snowflakes off the helmet beside him, keeping it as clean as possible without getting it wet and cold from the swirling weather. Thicker and thicker the blanket over him grew, burying him deep beneath the surface, leaving his head out so he could breathe. He didn't react when a tornado of colour opened up not 10 meters away from him, and furry legs landed shivering in the snow.

"Jack, mate, come on. Ye can't stay 'ere all year, can ye?"***

No sound left Jack; only silence met Bunny's long ears. His padded feet dug deep into the snow, cutting long gorges into the white fluff. He crouched beside the youngest Guardian, his nose twitching as his ears folded down to protect their sensitive skin from the cold.

"Frostbite, get up."

Jack's next words were forlorn and laced with agony, "I could have saved him, Bunny. I could have..."

Pity for the snow spirit rushed through the giant rabbit, and he traced the back of his paw over the back of Jack's head, "Ye could have, but ye couldn't have either. Ye couldn't have seen his problem through that blizzard ye made."

"That's just it. If I had stayed calm, I would have seen and I would have been able to help."

"No. No, Jackie, don't think like that," Bunny gently gathered him up in his arms, "Ye ain't at fault here."

Tears budded in Jack's eyes and almost immediately flooded down his face. He buried his head in Bunny's fur, searching for comfort and the welcoming warmth of family.

"Why?! Why does it hurt so much, Bunny?! It never hurt this much when nobody saw me, but without Volga, it hurts a thousand times more than it did!"

"I know, I know, mate. Hush, it's gonna be OK."

Jack clung to the Guardian of Hope, desperate for comfort. Bunny had never felt such hopelessness, and from someone like Jack, who had been without hope for 300 years to regain it when he became a Guardian, only to lose it again after the death of one person; it was enough to bring tears to the eyes of the hardened Pooka warrior. 3 years of hope wasn't enough for someone who had nothing, not even a family, for 300 years. How many times had Jack been forced to comfort himself when everyone else turned their back on him?

"Come on, back to the Pole. North sent out the Northern Light about an hour ago, then sent me to find ya when ya didn't show up. He says it's important, but won't tell anyone 'til ya get there."

The tiny snow sprite curled up closer to his old rival, not wanting to move. Chuckling lightly and sympathetically, Bunny clutched him close to his chest with one paw, eyes resting on the helmet Jack had kept so spotless as he reached for the wooden staff in the snow. Gently resting the staff within Jack's grip, the Pooka carefully picked up the helm, studied the emerald eyes for a second or two, before smirking mischievously and swiftly placing it over the platinum-white hair of the Guardian of Fun. Feeling the extra weight on his head, Jack looked up at the quietly chuckling rabbit, the silver metal hanging low over his eyes. The laughter was infectious, and a smile fought its way onto the snow spirit's lips. Supporting the lithe body with one shoulder and both paws, the oversized bunny carried him into one of his tunnels (though he had grown used to North's portals, he still preferred his own method of transport), and headed back to the Pole.

/

As the pair reemerged from the floor of North's workshop, the first thing they saw was the red-clad Guardian of Wonder, along with Tooth and Sandy, stood in front of a blue crystal rising from the Guardian symbol near the globe. Tooth was the first to notice the tearstained snow sprite beneath the helmet, and breezed over, gently hugging his shoulders, her feathers brushing against him comfortingly.

"Jack, do you know vhat this means?" North gestured to the crystal, receiving a confused 'no' in reply, "This happened before ve fought Pitch three years ago. This vas vhat happened vhen you vere chosen."

Wait, that meant...

"Manny's choosing a new Guardian?"

"Not choosing. Chosen. But none of us know who he is," Tooth fluttered back over to Sandy, studying the image, "The only part any of us recognise is the helmet."

"What do you mean, you don't know... who it is?" Jack's voice cracked as he stared at the image in the moonlight refracting from the crystal, "What..."

 **Volga's** **figure** **stared** **right** **back** **at** **him.**

Shaking, the snow sprite dropped to his knees, tears budding at the corners of his icy blue eyes. Was MIM playing some sort of sick joke on him?! _WHY?!_ Manny knew he was still deeply wounded from the loss of his brother! Why was he choosing him as a Guardian when he was _**dead?!**_

"How? How is this possible?! Volga is dead! Why are you choosing him as a Guardian when he's dead, Manny?!" enraged and emotionally unstable, Jack buried his head in his hands, tears pouring from his eyes. He shrugged Bunny's paw off his shoulder, and his walls partially crumbled as he screamed his pain to both the Moon and the goddesses of Hyrule.

"Can you stop? Dragons have very sensitive hearing, you know."

In that moment, Jack could have sworn his heart stopped. He knew that deep, draconic, rumbling voice far too well. His shaking hands slowly lowered from his tearstained face, and he hesitantly turned towards the voice. There, adjusting one of his gauntlets, balancing his spear between his right elbow and his breastplate, looking as if he had never been stabbed through the chest by a Dark Link...

It was _him_.

Jack's brother.

 _ **Volga**_.

Still in shock, Jack glanced back at the Guardians, who were just as surprised as he was. Never had a Guardian been chosen, then had arrived at the Pole without someone leaving to find them; never in the history of the Guardians had someone from a completely different realm been chosen to defend children alongside them. The snow spirit staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on his staff.

"How... H-How is this real? It can't be... I have to be hallucinating... There's no way you..."

"Brother, calm down. If you're hallucinating, why can the other Guardians see me too?" Volga spoke softly, his emerald eyes softer than Jack remembered.

"T-T-Then I'm dreaming. I have to be dreaming... Sandy, tell me I'm dreaming," the golden man looked up at the trembling snow sprite and shook his head. _This_ _isn't_ _a_ _dream..._

"If it really is you, show me what I left behind."

"As you wish," Volga's reached into the folds of his armoured sleeve, his fingers closing around something white and delicate. Slowly, he withdrew his gauntlet, and between his fingers was the snowflake Jack had left on his scorched armour after the funeral. No longer could Jack hold himself back, and he rushed forward, knocking his brother over and landing on top of him.

"It is you! You... you're actually... You're here! How..."

"Let's just say I had a lot of help from a friend of yours," the half-dragon chuckled quietly, spear lying on the floor beside him. Both of them looked up through the open window at the silver moon, who smiled down at them, a white glow resting on the two brothers.

"Thank you, Manny."

Jack carefully climbed off the newest Guardian, letting him get up. As soon as he was on his feet, Jack wrapped both arms around Volga's back and hugged him as tight as he could.

"Never scare me like that again."

"No promises."

Jack didn't let go, not even when North began to read the Guardian's Oath. He didn't hear any of it, and it was only when laughter and cheers shook the air did he release his brother, only to be almost hit in the face by a small Russian nesting doll. Volga quickly caught it before it hit the floor. Jack immediately recognised it as a Centre.

"Welcome, Volga, Guardian of Bravery," a soft voice spoke to all the Guardians, startling everyone in the room.

"Manny?"

MIM didn't reply to confirm his presence, but instead glimmered a little, the moonlight sparkling as it slowly faded from the brothers. Jack reached up and took the helmet from his head, leaning his staff in the crook of his elbow, feeling the thin length of blonde and scarlet fabric slip over his shoulder. He smiled and took off, the wind carrying him over Volga's head. He hovered there, taking great care to place the dragon skull perfectly on his brother's cranium. The dragon knight chuckled low in his chest, watching as the snow sprite landed directly in front of him. Tears burned in Jack's eyes, not out of misery, but pure, unbridled joy.

"Welcome to the family, brother."

/

 *** I** **know** **I** **missed** **a** **ton** **of** **dialogue** **in** **this** **scene, but** **I** **had to change** **the** **events** **to** **fit** **Jack** **in.**

 **** One** **of** **my** **few Zelda headcanons.**

 ***** And** **now, a** **terrible** **written** **interpretation** **of** **an** **Australian** **accent, brought** **to** **you** **by** **Firefrost143. I** **am** **so** **sorry** **and for the** **terribly** **written interpretation of a Russian** **accent** **too.**


End file.
